MILL CREEK, Wash. — Thieves who stole a purse from a couple camping on Camano Island used the victim’s personal information to find their home and commit a burglary there.
Kent Bratt said he and his wife were camping at Camano Island State Park when someone broke into their SUV.
“(We) came back and realized that the door was open to our truck and the glove box was open,” said Bratt.
His wife's purse with credit cards, keys and personal information inside was stolen. Minutes later, Bratt called his credit card company.
“They said that our credit card was just used at a gas station down the street," Bratt said.
Surveillance video showed a car pulling up and then a young woman walks into the store. She shops for ice cream while her partner buys gas outside. One credit card is rejected, so she uses another. Then she leaves.
The woman wasn’t through stealing from the Bratts.
“By the time we got home, about an hour later after that, we got into our house and realized they robbed our apartment,” said Bratt.
Police believe the woman was part of a team following Bratt’s personal information all the way to his Mill Creek apartment, using the keys to steal jewelry and a lot more.
“The only thing (my wife) has is her wedding ring left now, so that’s pretty disappointing,” said Bratt.
Police in Island County and Mill Creek want to know who the thief is.
“I just didn’t think that they’d be that gutsy to drive and hour and a half down here,” said Bratt. “These people obviously do this a lot. They know what they’re doing. They’re hitting people and heading straight to their house.”
The Island County Sheriff's working on the first part of the case, and Mill Creek police are dealing with the home burglary.
Anyone who recognizes the woman in the surveillance video is asked to call police.
KIRO
